Rickard Nätjehall
Delegation 2014|2015

Even though it was last year that I first got introduced to the United Netherlands, I remember it clear as day. As an international student, I was attending the orientation week organized by the Radboud University and got a short, yet highly interesting, presentation by two United Netherlands’ members. I found out that the organization was more than Model United Nations (MUN). It was lobbying, negotiation, public speaking, and above all, a remarkable experience. Looking back it retrospect, it was all that and more.

In the United Netherlands, I got to meet truly amazing, smart and ambitious people. Together we attended two incredible conferences in Oxford (UK) and Harvard (USA), visited the Chinese embassy and Dutch foreign ministry, and got the chance to learn first class negotiation skills at the Clingendael institute in The Hague. While these were wonderful experiences, what I remember most from my time in the United Netherlands 12th delegation are the regular Friday training sessions where we continuously challenged ourselves to get better and advance our skills as delegates as well as young professionals. More importantly, however, these sessions forged us into a group of close friends that will be there for each other, no matter what. That is what is truly exceptional about the United Netherlands experience.

On the picture above, you see me on the right, representing the People’s Republic of China at the Harvard conference in Boston, USA. While it was a trying experience, with intense negotiations, daunting public speaking and swirling conference dynamic, it is an adventure that I will never forget. In short, joining the United Netherlands is one of the best things I’ve done since coming to the Netherlands. Take the step, sign up now and experience it for yourself!